Toddler Health: Understanding Common Symptoms

Their noses are red, eyes are swollen, fluids are leaking everywhere, and you just don’t know what to do. If you’re at a loss to understand your toddler’s symptoms, here are just a few of the most common and what they might mean.

Rashes
Your toddler’s skin is so delicate that just about anything can cause a rash, including friction, allergies, food intolerance, and ill-fitting diapers. If your child keeps getting a rash in the same spot, check their clothing for irritants; if the rash is random, spotty, or color-changing, keep an eye on what they’re eating and how their body might be reacting to it.

Fever
The good news is, fevers aren’t as serious to toddlers as they are to newborns. The bad news is hot foreheads can still be signs of something serious, so if your toddler’s temperature is above 100°F, call the doctor and ask their opinion. They might tell you it’s nothing, or they might tell you to take your child to the emergency room; either way, you’ll be under the guidance of an expert.

Sneezing
Sneezing can be caused by everything from a simple cold to severe allergies, so you’ll need to do some follow-up with your toddler’s sneezes to determine their origins. What color is the snot? How often does the sneezing occur? Does it have any specific triggers? You may need to put your child on something like Dymista allergy medicine if it turns out to be chronic allergies.

Diarrhea
While unpleasant to deal with, diarrhea is so common and has so many causes that there’s no reason to be worried unless it’s happening in conjunction with other things like a fever and cracked skin. When that’s the case, your toddler may be reaching serious levels of dehydration, and they’ll need medical attention right away.

Stomachaches
No one enjoys a stomachache, but it can be especially painful and frightening for toddlers when they have no idea what’s causing it. Try to soothe them with gentle words and a stomach rub to see if it’s just gas that will go away with time. If the stomachache persists for more than 24 hours, it might be something like a virus or intestinal problem, so a doctor’s attention is warranted.

It can be difficult to recognize and understand your toddler’s symptoms, but hopefully this list will provide a little clarity. Again, if you have any serious or immediate concerns, call a physician right away. You don’t want to take risks with your child’s health.

About The Author

The Baby Spot is a Global Parenting Magazine. After starting as a Canadian Parenting Magazine, The Baby Spot knew that parents needed access to information from experts, celebrities and writers from all over the world! We focus on pregnancy, babies, parenting children of all ages, positive parenting articles, recipes, tips, travel and more! Thank you for visiting The Baby Spot, your global spot for all things parenting!